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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Flying Through The Defense

Time for Fall Youth Sports Photography.

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve started in with shooting some youth soccer and football. I’m also hoping to get in some cross country action as well. Doing this type of photography I greatly enjoy. For one thing, these are among the sports that I played while growing up; you know, back in the ancient days…

Having played the games helps to anticipate what the action might be and where. Sometimes you can get surprised but in most cases, as you follow the action, you can capture some pretty good moments. Just like this one. I didn’t notice that the offensive player’s feet was off of the ground when I took this photo but I think it adds to the image. Hence the title…

Youth sports provides great action shots for anyone with a camera and when you capture a really good one, not only the player or players involved like the image, but so do the parents and grand parents – like me… :-)

Monday, August 29, 2011

The Bell Tower Building

One of the often photographed structures in Cumberland is the Bell Tower Building. I have several photos of the building myself, but I just couldn’t help but take one more on this particular morning. I just loved the way the early morning sun was coming across the building along with the blue sky in the background.

As for the building itself, the following was taken from the National Park Service site called “All Aboard for Cumberland.

The Bell Tower Building was the first police headquarters and jail built in Cumberland. It remains substantially unchanged since its construction in the late 1880s when it was added to the public building complex surrounding City Hall. The Bell Tower Building is a two-story brick square building, with a rounded short roof featuring a small wooden bell tower at its center. Although the original bells of the tower are gone, this prominent feature inspired the building's name…

The Bell Tower Building served as the police headquarters until 1936, when they were moved to the 1902 U.S. Courthouse and Post Office. It remained vacant until 1941, when the Allegany County League for Crippled Children established a clinic here. Today, the Bell Tower Building houses the Allegany County Chamber of Commerce.

Almost anytime of the day, and from many angles, can one take interesting and colorful photos of this building. The only problem is, will you have a camera with you the next time you go by and you say, “That would make a great photo”. I sure hope you do.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Court House Rising

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I was downtown waiting for the 911 Ride to come through town and this gave me a little time to just look around. I had already taken a few “establishing” photos and was just looking to see what else there was. Nothing!

Man, there has to be something out there, not connected to the Ride, I was thinking. Then, I saw it. From my vantage point all I could see was the top of the Court House, up on Prospect Square, peeking out over the top of the buildings, and I like the way the light was coming across the building. There’s my shot, I said.

I used the tree as a frame and zoomed in to crop out everything else except for that part of the Court House that was showing. Right after I took the photo I felt that this would make a good B&W image, as there was no real color in the frame and a lot of empty space. I felt that with this view, in a B&W setting, I could put some kind of a color in the wide expanse of nothingness; and I did, sort of…

So, having captured this scene, and working it in my digital darkroom, this is what the final image is like. It is a different view of the Court House and I hope you like it…

Monday, August 22, 2011

Left In Time

I have been past this old building many of times, and each time I’ve noticed it I always felt that this would make a good painting. Well, I don’t know how to paint so I never stopped to do anything with it.

However, this particular day I felt that even though I don’t know how to paint I could photograph it and see what I can come up with in Photoshop. So, I did, and this is the finished image.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Into The Past

A garden of dreams or thoughts of the past, memories can be invoked with the smallest touch. Sometimes we look to the future only to see what has gone past, ever looking and never finding what it is that will make us happy.

We know where we’ve been and worry about where we’re going, but there are ways of taking us out of the realm of fear and give us peace within. We seek but never find. We think but never know. We look but never see.

These are the thoughts of one who has been in the past and who knows what lies ahead. For I have seen what I was and who grasps the knowledge of what eternity holds. Dreams come alive when we are set free from the constraints of evil, and love what is given to us in the sacrifice of another…

Monday, August 15, 2011

Welcome Bikers & Welcome Fishermen

I wonder what kind of a brew this mixture would make?

Here's a hint. If you will look closer you will see, above the door, a Nascar poster with the #3 car. Now I know enough about Nascar to know that a number of fans have or like motorcycles and many of them go fishing.

So, don't let first impressions catch you off guard, this just might be a pretty good place to drop by for a cold one, especially if you like Nascar, motorcycles and fishing.

Man, what eclectic offerings my world has to offer, and you are welcome to it... :-)

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

John Brown’s Fort

Built in 1848, John Brown’s Fort was originally designed as an Engine and Guard House for the Federal Armory at Harpers Ferry, WV; then part of VA.

After John Brown’s infamous raid in 1859 the building was sold to a buyer to be used as an attraction to the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Afterwards, it was dismantled and left on a vacant lot.

In 1894 the building was brought back to Harpers Ferry and reconstruction of it was finished in 1895 on land called Murphy’s Farm. Then in 1909, Storer College purchased the building and moved it to the college’s campus.

In 1960, the National Park Service acquired the building and then they moved it, in 1968, to a location close to its original site and only about 150 feet from where it once stood.

My wife and I had a great time walking around Harpers Ferry, earlier this year, and we plan on going back again soon. Now that we know the layout of the town, and what to expect, we can take our time the next time, visit the places we want and spend more time in taking a step back in time.

Monday, August 8, 2011

City Hall at 6:30 In The Morning

The City Hall for Cumberland, MD was built between 1911 and 1912 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There you can see a photo of what the building looked like before the greenery took over. It is a 7-by7-bay, two-story, stone-faced, neo-classical structure. It features an irregular corner, into which the architect has recessed a curving bay; the upper window in this curving bay has been filled with glass block. (Information was taken from the City Hall Wikipedia page.)

I created this image one Saturday morning, at 6:30 AM, while waiting for a local Barber Shop to open. I enjoy getting up that early, especially when it isn’t to do so for going to work, and downtown Cumberland at that time is nice and quiet with very few people moving around. It is a good time for taking photographs around town.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Olde North Cumberland

The following information about Olde North Cumberland is taken from a Wikipedia article about Cumberland, Md. Then make sure you read the last paragraph on why this area is special.

North End is a neighborhood in Cumberland bounded by Wills Creek to the south, Frederick Street to the East, and the city line on the west and north. Once known as "The Queen City", the neighborhood is a mix of residential, industrial, and commercial buildings. Some of the large industries found in this neighborhood include breweries, glass factories, and tanneries. These industries are now defunct, although many of the industrial buildings are still used for warehousing.

Most of the residential housing stock in North End was constructed to house industrial workers, and date from the middle and late 19th century. The housing stock is characterized by adjoining brick row houses and duplexes, set on small lots with narrow streets. As you move east to west through the neighborhood, the house lots become larger, the streets wider, and the housing stock more recent. Most of the commercial businesses in North End are located on Mechanic and Centre streets. Included among them are convenience stores, restaurants, car dealerships, and small boutiques.

However, this site has a personal special meaning to me. This area is at the intersection of Queen City Drive and North Centre Street. At this location, at one time, stood a three story building. On January 15, 1947, on the third floor of that building is where my parents were living when I came into this world. Now I was born in Miners Hospital in Frostburg, but I was brought here, to my first home, a three story walkup on North Centre Street in Cumberland, MD, next to the railroad tracks.

The Reason for Riff's Photography Journal

The purpose of this journal is to show that you can find something of interest to photograph even if you don't leave your own yard.

There are photographic opportunities everywhere you look and they are there just waiting for you to find them. The only requirement is that you have to be looking for those opportunities or you will never see them.

Photography is for anyone who wants to capture images for any reason, and if you cannot have fun with photography then why do it.

So, come along. Enjoy the journey and have fun with your camera. Photograph your world the way that you see it and create those images that you will keep for ever. I know that I do.

How To See A Whole Month Of Posts At One Time

If you would like to see all of the posts for any particular month of any year, just click on the Month's name, that is in the list below, and you will then be able to see all of the posts for that month.

All photos are Copyright 2008 - 2019 Glenn C. Riffey (Photographer Riff's Photography Journal), all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of the OWNERis prohibited.